Assessment of Inclusivity and Multiculturalism

For more than ten years, the NAIS Assessment of Inclusivity and Multiculturalism (AIM) has provided schools with a deep understanding of the climate of inclusion on their campuses, from current and past students to teachers, administrators, and trustees. AIM is now re-launched as part of NAIS’s newly redesigned Survey Center and integrates with Data and Analysis for School Leadership (DASL). This improved product will help you benchmark your school climate and advance other strategic equity goals – and at new lower-cost options that fit academic institutions of all types and sizes.

Why use AIM?

In many organizations, the benefits of diversity, equity, and inclusion are viewed as intangibles – good things to have, to do and to profess, but not necessarily the grounds of structured processes and accountability.

The data from AIM can convert thoughts, ideas, and assumed best practices into benchmarked numbers for real goal setting. Your evaluation will help shine a light on topics that include:

Progress in meeting diversity, equity, and inclusion goals

Success in existing diversity and multicultural programs and initiatives

Your school's current level of inclusivity as perceived by multiple constituencies

Areas of need, whether in curriculum, infrastructure, governance, or services

Choices that work for your school

AIM is a tremendously beneficial tool for helping schools do what they do best—create vibrant, engaging learning communities that elicit peak achievement and performance from all involved.

Schools have the following options:

Complete a comprehensive online campus-wide survey and a guided self-assessment process, or

Select AIM's online Climate Survey as a solid starting point, or as a type of formative assessment where long-term, strategic diversity work is in place.

AIM delivers quantitative and qualitative data that demonstrates the benefits of diversity, equity, and inclusion that are crucial to your school’s success. In order to capture the most accurate results, it is recommended that your school start AIM at the beginning of a semester. Additionally, you can always register for AIM and work with NAIS staff to find a training and timeline that works best for your school.

To learn more about AIM at your school this year, contact Nadia Woods at woods@nais.org or 202-973-9761.

More about the AIM Online Climate Survey

The AIM Online Climate Survey engages your community in a confidential analysis designed to elicit feedback on school climate and culture. Again, members of all constituent groups are given access to the online survey, and upon completion, the school receives summarized results. These results come in an easy-to-digest format the school can put to use in strategic planning and in follow-up training and programming.

As of February 2015, the AIM Online Climate Survey is offered as a stand-alone survey through the NAIS Survey Center. Schools may choose whether to conduct the survey only, or to complete the full AIM process.

Steps for AIM Process

Appoint an AIM Coordinator for your school. This individual will take part in a training session by conference call. They will then coordinate the administration of the School Self-Assessment, Online Climate Survey, or both, and serve as the point person for any issues throughout the course of AIM.

Upon receipt of the application, which must be signed by the Head of School, and applicable fees, NAIS will send the User’s Manual, training information, and the Self-Assessment tool to your school’s AIM Coordinator via e-mail within two weeks.

Your school’s AIM Coordinator and other designees will take part in training via conference call or pre-recorded webinar.

The school’s Discovery Committees will complete the Self-Assessment.

Your AIM Coordinator will facilitate logistics for the campus to complete the Online Climate Survey.

NAIS will send your school’s Online Climate Survey Report.

With the AIM data (the internal School Self-Assessment Report and/or Online Climate Survey Report) in hand, your school can build on the results for strategic planning and for further training and development.

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